Thomas Day leans into a bolder, more assertive persona on ‘kids’

Recommended Tracks: “sore throat,” “she got a thing about her,” “kids”
Artists You Might Like: Role Model, sombr, Aidan Bissett

If there’s one thing about Thomas Day’s music that everyone should know, it’s that it will perfectly speak to whatever you’re going through. Over the years, the pop singer-songwriter has delivered songs that are made for all occasions, all moods. Whether you are grieving an ex, starting a new relationship, or embracing a better version of yourself, Thomas has the songs to back you up. He continues to do so on his new EP kids, where he gives his fans five tracks that embrace pent-up thoughts, mixed emotions, and dynamic feelings. It’s a project that proves that, even if your various memories of events or experiences fade over time, you’ll never forget how you felt going through them.

The first two tracks attempt to find closure after a relationship. On “sore throat,” Thomas thinks back to all of the shared moments, the conversations, and the promises that went down with someone who was more than just a friend. He also looks ahead and wonders what this person is up to now. He sings, “I wish you never had to go and give this no meaning / But if this is how it’s gonna roll, I hope you’re still grieving me / You said you would be here by my side / But then you had to go and change your mind,” holding onto a bit of regret. This regret escalates on “pollen,” where Thomas realizes his feelings were not reciprocated. To the pop-rock melodies and beats that enhance the bitter vibes of the track, Thomas shares, “I won’t be calling this love / Are you kidding? / I don’t even know what this was / My heart was never enough for you, baby / After everything that I’ve done.” As he picks up the pieces, he concludes, “Nothing’s the same as it was.”

The next track flips from burnt and broken to mystified and floored. Previously released as a single, “she got a thing about her” examines the mysterious way that someone can pull you in. The track begins with bright and bold vocals that carry throughout the song, as if Thomas just can’t contain his excitement over this person any longer. He leans into the pop-rock grooves and melodies and he sings, “I don’t know what it is, but all I confess / She’s got a thing about her.” While he’s confused, he doesn’t care—he just knows that “I ain’t living without her / I love the things that she does.”

To close out the EP, Thomas gives us the cryptic “tethered” and the title track. On the former, which plays out like an interlude, we are left with a haunted shell of Thomas Day. His vocals are so warped that they don’t even sound like they’re from the same fiery artist we heard two minutes ago. He also delivers rhythmic and robotic lines, with “We got so close, we almost were tethered,” standing out the most. It leads up to “kids,” which closes the project. Here, Thomas exposes even more of the conflict that was heard on “tethered,” as he describes how bad love can hurt. The mood is very downhearted and distressed, made all the more so by the acoustic guitar lines and sweet vocal harmonies. All the while, Thomas faces the inevitable parting from someone he loves, singing, “If you lay here / Then I promise / I will only let you down / I wanna go with you, but I can’t right now / I wanna be with you, but I don’t know how.” In the end, it sums up the torment we have heard from song to song, the complexities of love, lust, and loss.

In the end, kids exposes a more assertive side to Thomas Day. Gone are the sentimental indie-pop vibes that adorned his previous songs, only to be replaced with an edgier pop-rock sound. We also have lyrics that bite a little harder, taking the thoughts and feelings to the next level. But even with this elevated EP, Thomas is still a creative force with a proclivity to connect with a diverse fanbase. He knows how to express himself and how to make others tap into their true feelings, and this will never change.